My name is Xavier Nguyen, and I’m a student at Old Dominion University. As of right now, I’m taking MET 350, Thermal Applications. The study of thermal applications supports my educational objectives by helping me understand the cycle of how an engine works. Understanding how an engine works can further my professional career as I aspire to become a naval port engineer for the Navy.

For example, being a port engineer requires extensive knowledge of how a ship’s inner workings work. One of the required skills is understanding how an engine works, so if something is wrong with an engine, the port engineer on the ship can inspect it and determine what is wrong.